"O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do." [Al-maeda ,8]

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Our CJ is forced to clear his position in the world because our so called President Dictator is maligning him all over the world.

BUT for CJP Sahab

“Sir you are giving justifications to the wrong people, they are the ones (especially Rice) who supported Musharraf’s actions from the back and its part of their ‘Do More’ policy.”

Keep Your spirits high , Allah will help you and us.

*AN OPEN LETTER TO:*

His Excellency

The President of the European Parliament,

Brussels.

His Excellency

The President of France,

Paris.

His Excellency

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,

London.

Her Excellency

Ms. Condaleeza Rice,

Secretary of State,

United States of America,

Washington D.C.

Professor Klaus Schwab,

World Economic Forum,

Geneva.

All through their respective Ambassodors, High Commissioners and

representatives.

Excellency,

I am the Chief Justice of Pakistan presently detained in my residence

Since November 3, 2007 pursuant to some verbal, and unspecified, order passed by General Musharraf.

I have found it necessary to write to you, and others, because during

His recent visits to Brussels, Paris, Davos and London General Musharraf has slandered me, and my colleagues, with impunity in press conferences and other addresses and meetings. In addition he has widely distributed, among those whom he has met, a slanderous document (hereinafter the Document)

entitled: "PROFILE OF THE FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN". I might

have

let this go unresponded but the Document, unfortunately, is such an

outrage that, with respect, it is surprising that a person claiming to be head of state should fall to such depths as to circulate such calumny against the Chief Justice of his own country.

In view of these circumstances I have no option but to join issue with

General Musharraf and to put the record straight. Since he has voiced

His views on several public occasions so as to reach out to the public at large, I also am constrained to address your excellencies in an Open Letter to rebut the allegations against me.

At the outset you may be wondering why I have used the words "claiming

to be

the head of state". That is quite deliberate. General Musharraf's

constitutional term ended on November 15, 2007. His claim to a further

term

thereafter is the subject of active controversy before the Supreme

Court of

Pakistan. It was while this claim was under adjudication before a Bench

of

eleven learned judges of the Supreme Court that the General arrested a

majority of those judges in addition to me on November 3, 2007. He thus

himself subverted the judicial process which remains frozen at that

point.

Besides arresting the Chief Justice and judges (can there have been a

greater outrage?) he also purported to suspend the Constitution and to

purge

the entire judiciary (even the High Courts) of all independent judges.

Now

only his hand-picked and compliant judges remain willing to "validate"

whatever he demands. And all this is also contrary to an express and

earlier

order passed by the Supreme Court on November 3, 2007.

Meantime I and my colleagues remain in illegal detention. With me are

also

detained my wife and three of my young children, all school-going and

one a

special child. Such are the conditions of our detention that we cannot

even

stepout on to the lawn for the winter sun because that space is

occupied

by police pickets. Barbed wire barricades surround the residence and

all

phone lines are cut. Even the water connection to my residence has been

periodically turned off. I am being persuaded to resign and to forego

my

office, which is what I am not prepared to do.

I request you to seek first hand information of the barricades and of

my

detention, as that of my children, from your Ambassador/High

Commissioner/representative in Pakistan. You will get a report of such

circumstances as have never prevailed even in medieval times. And these

are

conditions put in place, in the twenty-first century, by a Government

that

you support.

Needless to say that the Constitution of Pakistan contains no provision

for

its suspension, and certainly not by the Chief of Army Staff. Nor can

it be

amended except in accordance with Articles 238 and 239 which is by

Parliament and not an executive or military order. As such all actions

taken

by General Musharraf on and after November 3 are illegal and ultra

vires the

Constitution. That is why it is no illusion when I describe myself as

the

Chief Justice even though I am physically and forcibly incapacitated by

the

state apparatus under the command of the General. I am confident that

as a

consequence of the brave and unrelenting struggle continued by the

lawyers

and the civil society, the Constitution will prevail.

However, in the meantime, General Musharraf has launched upon a

vigourous

initiative to defame and slander me. Failing to obtain my willing

abdication

he has become desperate. The eight-page Document is the latest in this

feverish drive.

Before I take up the Document itself let me recall that the General

first

ousted me from the Supreme Court on March 9 last year while filing an

indictment (in the form of a Reference under Article 209 of the

Constitution) against me. According to the General the Reference had

been

prepared after a thorough investigation and comprehensively contained

all

the charges against me. I had challenged that Reference and my ouster

before

the Supreme Court. On July 20 a thirteen member Bench unanimously

struck

down the action of the General as illegal and unconstitutional. I was

honourably reinstated.

*The Reference was thus wholly shattered and all the charges contained

therein trashed.* These cannot now be regurgitated except in contempt

of the

Supreme Court. Any way, since the Document has been circulated by no

less a

person than him I am constrained to submit the following for your kind

consideration in rebuttal thereof:

*The Document* is divided into several heads but the allegations

contained

in it *can essentially be divided into two categories*: those

allegations

that were contained in the Reference and those that were not.

Quite obviously, those that are a repeat from the Reference hold no

water as

these have already been held by the Supreme Court to not be worth the

ink

they were written in. In fact, the Supreme Court found that the

evidence

submitted against me by the Government was so obviously fabricated and

incorrect, that the bench took the unprecedented step of fining the

Government Rs. 100,000 (a relatively small amount in dollar terms, but

an

unheard of sum with respect to Court Sanction in Pakistan) for filing

clearly false and malicious documents, as well as revoking the license

to

practice of the Advocate on Record for filing false documents. Indeed,

faced

with the prospect of having filed clearly falsified documents against

me,

the Government's attorneys, including the Attorney General, took a most

dishonorable but telling approach. Each one, in turn, stood before the

Supreme Court and disowned the Government's Reference, and stated they

had

not reviewed the evidence against me before filing it with Court. They

then

filed a formal request to the Court to withdraw the purported evidence,

and

tendered an unconditional apology for filing such a scandalous and

false

documents. So baseless and egregious were the claims made by General

Musharraf that on July 20th, 2007, the full Supreme Court for the first

time

in Pakistan's history, ruled unanimously against a sitting military

ruler

and reinstated me honorably to my post.

Despite having faced these charges in open court, must I now be

slandered

with those same charges by General Musharraf in world capitals, while I

remain a prisoner and unable to speak in my defense?

There are, of course, a second set of charges. These were not contained

in

the Reference and are now being bandied around by the General at every

opportunity.

I forcefully and vigorously deny every single one of them. The truth of

these "new" allegations can be judged from the fact that they all

ostensibly

date to the period before the reference was filed against me last

March, yet

none of them was listed in the already bogus charge sheet.

If there were any truth to these manufactured charges, the Government

should

have included them in the reference against me. God knows they threw in

everything including the kitchen sink into that scurrilous 450 page

document, only to have it thrown out by the entire Supreme Court after

a 3

month open trial.

The charges against me are so transparently baseless that General

Musharraf's regime has banned the discussion of my situation and the

charges

in the broadcast media. This is because the ridiculous and flimsy

nature of

the charges is self-evident whenever an opportunity is provided to

actually

refute them.

Instead, the General only likes to recite his libel list from a rostrum

or

in gathering where there is no opportunity for anyone to respond.

Incidentally, the General maligns me in the worst possible way at every

opportunity. That is the basis for the Document he has distributed. But

he

has not just deposed me from the Judiciary. He has also fired more than

half

of the Superior Judiciary of Pakistan – nearly 50 judges in all --

together

with me. They have also been arrested and detained.

What are the charges against them? Why should they be fired and

arrested if

I am the corrupt judge?Moreover even my attorneys Aitzaz Ahsan,

Munir

Malik, Tariq Mahmood and Ali Ahmed Kurd were also arrested on November

3.

Malik alone has been released but only because both his kidneys

collapsed as

a result of prison torture

Finally, as to the Document, it also contains some further allegations

described as *"Post-Reference Conduct"* that is attributed to me under

various heads. This would mean only those allegedly 'illegal' actions

claimed to have been taken by me *after* March 9, 2007. These are under

the

heads given below and replied to as under:

1. *"Participation in SJC (Supreme Judicial Council) Proceedings": *

*(a) Retaining 'political lawyers': Aitzaz Ahsan and Zammurrad Khan:*

It is alleged that I gave a political colour to my defence by engaging

political lawyers Aitzaz Ahsan and Zamurrad Khan both Pakistan Peoples'

Party Members of the National Assembly. The answer is simple.

I sought to engage the best legal team in the country. Mr. Ahsan is of

course an MNA (MP), but he is also the top lawyer in Pakistan. For that

reference may be made simply to the ranking of Chambers and Partners

Global.

Such is his respect in Pakistan's legal landscape that he was elected

President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan by one of

the

widest margins in the Association's history.

All high profile personalities have placed their trust in his talents.

He

has thus been the attorney for Prime Ministers Bhutto and Sharif, (even

though he was an opponent of the latter) Presidential candidate

(against

Musharraf) Justice Wajihuddin, sports star and politician Imran Khan,

former

Speakers, Ministers, Governors, victims of political vendetta, and also

How much the Document tries to deceive is apparent from the allegation

that

I willingly rode in Mr. Jamali's car for the first hearing of the case

against me on March 13 (as if that alone is an offence). Actually the

Government should have been ashamed of itself for creating the

circumstances

that forced me to take that ride.

Having been stripped of official transport on the 9th March (my

vehicles

were removed from my house by the use of fork lifters), I decided to

walk

the one-mile to the Supreme Court. Along the way I was molested and

manhandled, my hair was pulled and neck craned in the full blaze of the

media, by a posse of policemen under the supervision of the Inspector

General of Police. (A judicial inquiry, while I was still deposed,

established this fact). In order to escape the physical assault I took

refuge with Mr. Jamali and went the rest of the journey on his car.

Instead

of taking action against the police officials for manhandling the Chief

Justice it is complained that I was on the wrong!

*(c) "Creating a political atmosphere":*

Never did I instigate or invite any "political atmosphere". I never

addressed the press or any political rally. I kept my lips sealed even

under

extreme provocation from the General and his ministers who were

reviling me

on a daily basis. I maintained a strict judicial silence. I petitioned

the

Supreme Court and won. That was my vindication.

1. *"Country wide touring and Politicising the Issue":*

The Constitution guarantees to all citizens free movement throughout

Pakistan. How can this then be a complaint?

By orders dated March 9 and 15 (both of which were found to be without

lawful authority by the Court) I had been sent of "forced leave". I

could

neither perform any judicial or administrative functions as the Chief

Justice of Pakistan. I was prevented not only from sitting in court but

also

from access to my own chamber by the force of arms under orders of the

General. (All my papers were removed, even private documents).

The only function as 'a judge on forced leave' that I could perform was

to

address and deliver lectures to various Bar Associations. I accepted

their

invitations. They are peppered all over Pakistan. I had to drive to

these

towns as all these are not linked by air. On the way the people of

Pakistan

did, indeed, turn out intheir millions, often waiting from dawn to

dusk or

from dusk to dawn, to greet me. But I never addressed them even when

they

insisted that I do. I never spoke to the press. I sat quietly in my

vehicle

without uttering a word. All this is on the record as most journeys

were

covered by the media live and throughout.

I spoke only to deliver lectures on professional and constitutional

issues

to the Bar Associations. Transcripts of every single one of my

addresses are

available. Every single word uttered by me in those addresses conforms

to

the stature, conduct and non-political nature of the office of the

Chief

Justice. There was no politics in these whatsoever. I did not even

mention

my present status or the controversy or the proceedings before the

Council

or the Court, not even the Reference. Not even once.

All the persons named in the Document under this head are lawyers and

were

members of the reception committees in various towns and Bar

Associations.

1. *Political Leaders Calling on CJP residence:*

It is alleged that I received political leaders while I was deposed. It

is

on the record of the Supreme Judicial Council itself that I was

detained

after being deposed on March 9. The only persons allowed to meet me

were

those cleared by the Government. One was a senior political leader.

None

else was allowed to see me, initially not even my lawyers. How can I be

blamed for whomsoever comes to my residence?

Had I wanted to politicize the issue I would have gone to the Press or

invited the media. I did not. I had recourse to the judicial process

for my

reinstatement and won. The General lost miserably in a fair and

straight

contest. That is my only fault.

1. *"Conclusion":*

Hence the conclusion drawn by the General that charges had been proved

against me 'beyond doubt' is absolutely contrary to the facts and wide

off

the mark. It is a self-serving justification of the eminently illegal

action

*of firing and arresting judges of superior courts* under the garb of

an

Emergency (read Martial Law) when the Constitution was 'suspended' and

then

'restored' later with drastic and illegal 'amendments' grafted into it.

The Constitution cannot be amended except by the two Houses of

Parliament

and by a two-thirds majority in each House. That is the letter of the

law.

How can one man presume or arrogate to himself that power?

Unfortunately the General is grievously economical with the truth (I

refrain

from using the word 'lies') when he says that the charges against me

were

'investigated and verified beyond doubt'. As explained above, these had

in

fact been rubbished by the Full Court Bench of the Supreme Court of

Pakistan

against which judgment the government filed no application for review.

What the General has done has serious implications for Pakistan and the

world. In squashing the judiciary for his own personal advantage and

nothing

else he has usurped the space of civil and civilized society. If

civilized

norms of justice will not be allowed to operate then that space will,

inevitably, be occupied by those who believe in more brutal and instant

justice: the extremists in the wings. Those are the very elements the

world

seems to be pitted against. Those are the very elements the actions of

the

General are making way for.

Some western governments are emphasizing the unfolding of the

democratic

process in Pakistan. That is welcome, if it will be fair. But, and in

any

case, can there be democracy if there is no independent judiciary?

Remember, independent judges and judicial processes preceded full

franchise

by several hundred years. Moreover, which judge in Pakistan today can

be

independent who has before his eyes the fate and example of his own

Chief

Justice: detained for three months along with his young children. What

is

the children's crime, after all?

There can be no democracy without an independent judiciary, and there

can be

no independent judge in Pakistan until the action of November 3 is

reversed.

Whatever the will of some desperate men the struggle of the valiant

lawyers

and civil society of Pakistan will bear fruit. They are not giving up.

Let me also assure you that I would not have written this letter

without the

General's unbecoming onslaught. That has compelled me to clarify

although,

as my past will testify, I am not given into entering into public, even

private, disputes. But the allegations against me have been so wild, so

wrong and so contrary to judicial record, that I have been left with no

option but to put the record straight. After all, a prisoner must also

have his say. And if the General's hand-picked judges, some living next door to my prison home, have not had the courage to invoke the power of 'habeas corpus' these last three months, what other option do I have? Many leaders of the world and the media may choose to brush the situation under the carpet out of love of the General. But that will not be.

Nevertheless, let me also reassure you that I continue in my resolve

not to preside any Bench which will be seized of matters pertaining to the personal interests of General Musharraf after the restoration of the Constitution and the judges, which, God willing, will be soon.

Finally, I leave you with the question: Is there a precedent in

history, all history, of 60 judges, including three Chief Justices (of the Supreme Court and two of Pakistan's four High Courts), being dismissed, arrested and detained at the whim of one man? I have failed to discover any such even in medieval times under any emperor, king, or sultan, or even when a dictator has had full military sway over any country in more recent times. But this incredible outrage has happened in the 21st century at the hands of an extremist General out on a 'charm offensive' of western capitals and one whom the west supports.

I am grateful for your attention. I have no other purpose than to clear

My name and to save the country (and perhaps others as well) from the

calamity that stares us in the face. We can still rescue it from all kinds of extremism: praetorian and dogmatic. After all, the edifice of anindependent judicial system alone standson the middle ground between these twoextremes. If the edifice is destroyed by the one, the ground may be taken over by the other. That is what is happening in Pakistan. Practitioners of rough and brutal justice will be welcomed in spaces from where the practitioners of more refined norms of justice and balance have been made to abdicate.

A real threat during that time emerged was BLA
(Balauchistan Liberation Army) lead by Late Balach
Mari. It is now confirmed by many sources that he was
backed by the Indian and Israeli intelligence
(remember Kurdistan movement in Iraq) and obviously
India and Israel cannot do it without American support
and permission.

There are more than ten consulates and information
centers of India operating in Afghanistan and one
can easily understand the purpose keeping in mind how
many Afghans are interested in going to India or what
is population of Afghanistan?

One more thing to consider Balach mari died in an air
attack in Afghanistan recently by NATO forces.

Also if you look at their media you will realize the
intensity of the propaganda against terrorist activities
in Pakistan and its nuclear assets and they don’t need to
find much material on their own our beloved dictator
provides them all in his justifications to remain in power.

Now just look why these forces are playing this whole
game?

1) To accomplish their Zionist goals in the Middle
East and Pakistan is a real hurdle because of its
Islamic foundations, friendship with Arabs and nuclear
capability (Search Terms: Greater Israel, Armageddon).
2) To cater China’s growing power and influence
in the region (search terms: String of pearls, Gawadar
port, China).
3) To de nuclearize Pakistan, the only Islamic country
to have it.
4) To strengthen the hold on the natural resources in
the region.
5) To stop the re emerging threat of Russia as power
center.

But there are certain challenges these forces are
facing like Pakistan is not a small country like
Afghanistan, it has a real strong military, it is a
nuclear power and also it has some sort of a solid
ideological foundation so to overcome these challenges
they have first decided to weaken the country
internally and so far the things which are supporting
them are that Pakistan has a power hungry elite,
discrimination between ethnic and sectarian groups is
getting wider (in fact they are using it really
efficiently), institutions are getting weak, power is
centered to one man (who is a patriotic person, I
believe but his lust for power and his own political
and ideological agenda is very damaging for the
foundations of Pakistan), military and people are
fighting with each other in northern parts,
involvement of military in politics (General Kiyani is
taking some good initiatives to reduce the role of
Army in civil affairs) and high illiteracy rate.

I still believe that our nation has the strength to
overcome these challenges, we just need to take
actions in the right direction and for that right
leadership is required which I have no doubts in
saying that Mr Musharraf is not able to provide. Most
of the challenges we are facing (in fact he is facing
them more) are the result of his wrong policies which
he thinks are the best possible options and
that’s what Mr. Saddam was doing.

People who believe that nothing can happen to us
because we are a nuclear power so sit and relax, they
need to look at the history and learn from the
destruction of the great Soviet Union.

After his illegal actions against the judiciary and the constitution of Pakistan, the dictator almost daily give baseless statements justifying his illegal actions against the judiciary of Pakistan.

One of his allegation is tha judiciary was interfering in the executive and government

powers so to find the truth about the allegations I decided to consult the constitution

to see what it says about the responsibilities of a judiciary:

Below are the words of Oath a judge takes

(from schedule 3 of the “Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan).

[Articles 178 and 194]

(In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.)

I, ____________, do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan:

That, as Chief Justice of Pakistan (or a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan or Chief Justice or a Judge of the High Court for the Province or Provinces of ____________) I will discharge my duties, and perform my functions, honestly to the best of my ability and faithfully in accordance with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the law:

That I will abide by the code of conduct issued by the Supreme Judicial Council:

That I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions:

That I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

And that, in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favor, affection or ill-will.

May Allah Almighty heap and guide me (A’meen.)

———————————————————————

Now if Musharraf says the judiciary was interfering then he should also think what the government and the executive

authorities were doing weren’t they violating the basic human rights?

(given by the constitution, with special reference to missing person’s case),

how about Musharraf’s elections?(the candidates eligibility in the constitution) and also in the cases of steelmills,

sugarcane etc.

Now lets look at what promises an armed force personnel has to do in his oath(The oath which Musharraf also took as an army officer).

Members Of The Armed Forces
[Article 244]

(In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.)
I, ____________, do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan and uphold the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which embodies the will of the people, that I will not engage myself in any political activities whatsoever and that I will honestly and faithfully serve Pakistan in the Pakistan Army (or Navy or Air Force) as required by and under the law.

May Allah Almighty help and guide me (A’meen)
You have the right to judge.

Judiciary was just doing there job(infact after a long time), whereas the dictator has violated the constitution and his oath.

LAHORE: The lawyers, civil society members, human rights activists and politicians on Thursday held a joint protest rally from Aiwan-e-Adl to the Punjab Assembly building, demanding the restoration of the deposed judges and release of the detained lawyers from the government.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) held their general house meetings at their respective buildings and took out rallies. They shouted slogans against the government and in favour of the deposed judges and detained leaders – Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Munir A Malik, Tariq Mehmood and Ali Ahmed Kurd.

Mrs Aitzaz Ahsan and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Tehreek-e-Khaksaar (TK), Women Action Forum (WAF) and Pakistan Medic Association (PMA) also joined the lawyers’ rally. The PTI, JI and TK supporters were holding their party flags, while others were holding placards and banners inscribed with their demands for the restoration of deposed judges. One of the posters read: Aye Sitam Gar Tum Nay Socha Hay Kabhi, Tujh Say Sari Khudai Tang Hay Kiyon? (Oh oppressor! Have you ever thought why everyone is annoyed with you?)

Punjab PTI president Ahsen Rasheed led his party protesters, Dr Zahid Muhiuddin and Dr Yasmin Rashid were leading the PMA activists and Shahtaj Qizalbash was leading the WAF protesters. The lawyers removed the last poster of the Pakistan Muslim League–Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), hanging with a lamppost on The Mall, and set it ablaze. All the banners and posters of PML-Q candidates had been removed during the last Thursday’s rally.

After their general house meeting, the LHCBA lawyers – led by their president Ahsen Bhoon – joined the LBA rally at GPO Chowk, taken out from Aiwan-e-Adl in the leadership of Manzoor Qadir. Then the lawyers held a joint march towards Charing Cross. After remaining there for some time, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

General house meeting: Earlier, addressing the LHCBA general house meeting, various speakers stressed the need to ensure the boycott at the Lahore High Court, according to the call of the Pakistan Bar Council. Advocate Ahsan Wyne appealed to the politicians to join the lawyers’ movement for the independence of the judiciary.

Former LHCBA president Ahmed Awais said the judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) were job seekers and nothing more. The lawyers will not recognise them as judges, he said, adding “They have committed treason by betraying Pakistan and its constitution.” He urged the lawyers to ensure the complete boycott of the courts.

Supreme Court Bar Association secretary Amin Javed urged the lawyers to maintain unity and said some negative elements wanted to sabotage their movement. “This movement is not only for the restoration of the judiciary but also to save the country from disintegration. We are not afraid of anything, and are ready to face starvation. But we will not back away from our movement.” The LHCBA president stressed the need to form an independent parliament to get the deposed judges restored.

In this so called war against terrorism the biggest sin Musharraf did was to make the country’s own army to fight with the people (the fight in northern Pakistan and later Lal Masjid etc).

In doing so they violated several constitutional points and it lead to a confrontation between the Supreme Court and the dictator (specially in the missing person’s case) and because of this (along with the issues of sugarcane, steel mills and other financial and constitutional issues) which lead to the action of 9 March by the dictator.

But the real thing which disturbed the dictator and the imperial power US is the rise of the Pakistani Civil society specially lawyers, students and the middle class who started nationwide protests against the actions of the dictator but to the disgrace of the government who meanwhile conquered ‘Lal Masjid’ by killing innocent children and women, the decision from the full court bench under Justice Ramday reinstated CJP Iftikhar Chaudhary.

After the reinstating of the CJP the judiciary and the lawyers community felt that they should now seriously think and do something for the supremacy of law in the country which Musharraf and his pet politicians named ‘judicial activism’.

After that the real hurdle Musharraf faced was to legitimize his illegal elections so to do that he imposed Martial Law in the country on 3rd of November (because there was a case under hearing against the illegal election of the dictator and he was sure that he will lose it on the grounds of merit).

Meanwhile the US support for the dictator and his illegal actions continued (only some surface statements were passed to please the US civil society and also to keep some points for making the future case against Musharraf as they did with Saddam, first encouraged him to do wrong actions and then made those actions the reason to invade a country and to kill thousands of innocent people).

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) would organise public gatherings across the country from January 28 against the February 18 elections.

Addressing party gatherings at Pabbi and Kheshgi towns near Noshera, he also said that they would launch full fledge campaign against what he termed the fraud elections and create awareness among the masses to stay away from the polls process.

He said that the Election Commission, caretaker government, polling staff and voter rolls were all under the influence of the government. In this situation, the Jamaat chief said free polls could not be expected. He further said that the government to be formed as a result of the fraud elections would not be able to overcome the challenges being faced by the country.

Qazi Hussain was of the view that the government, by declaring Pakistan a frontline state and has brought the war of US interest to the country.

While condemning the continuous ‘house arrest’ of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, his ten companion judges as well as legal fraternity leaders, lawyers announced that they will observe January 31 as “Iftikhar Day”.

The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA), on the recommendation of its President Rasheed A Razvi, decided to hold “Iftikhar Day” on January 31 and authorised its managing committee to invite members of political parties, civil society and other international organisations to participate in the event.

Lawyers on Thursday boycotted court proceedings in the Sindh High Court against the removal of the Chief Justice and other judges of the superior courts. They also observed a token hunger strike in this regard.

A protest meeting was held at the SHCBA hall which was addressed by the Pakistan Bar Council member Yasin Azad, Sindh Bar Council’s Salahuddin Gandapur and SHCBA’s President Rasheed A Razvi.

The speakers lauded the role of lawyers who continued their struggle for the independence of the judiciary. They urged civil society, political parties and professional bodies to support the cause of the legal fraternity for the restoration of deposed judges and independence of the judiciary.

The general body reiterated their pledge to continue their struggle in the light of guidelines given by the Pakistan Bar Council.

The two lawyers that observed a token hunger strike were Hashim Padhiyar and Adnan Ahmed

KBA: The Karachi Bar Association (KBA) has also announced to observe January 31 as ‘Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry Day’ in order to honour him as a ‘courageous judge’ who was facing a tough time since March 9, when he was first deposed by the the president of Pakistan.

This was endorsed at a general body meeting of the KBA which was held on Thursday with Naeem Qureshi its Secretary General in the chair. The Pakistan Bar Council has announced to observe the day, which was endorsed by all the courts association of the country.

On the day a ‘peace rally’ will be taken out from the City Courts which will march towards the Sindh High Court (SHC). The final destination of the rally would be announced on the day. Every lawyer participant will hold a placard in his hand with the portrait of the deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The speakers at a general body meeting foresee a massive protest movement which soon be started, as they said that the speech of Justice (retd) Rana Bhagwandas at an oath-taking ceremony of KBA has given a message to the legal community, which stated that the desposed judges would soon be reinstated.

They said that lawyers would finalise a future strategy with regard to the movement in light of the speech delivered by the retired justice, which they termed a ray of hope to the community.

The speakers, however, cautioned the legal representatives to maintain solidarity as some anti-judiciary elements may try to sabotage the ongoing peaceful movement, which started in March last year.

They strongly condemned the detention of SCBA President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Ali Ahmed Kurd and demanded their immediate release.

The lawyers, on Thursday, completely boycotted the courts proceedings as per schedule announced for the day.

About 400 UTP (under trial prisoners) were not brought and thousands of cases deferred for the next date. The 150 people arrested from different city areas for allegedly disturbing the law and order situation were waiting for remand and left the courts without any hearing.

The hunger strike plan schedule was postponed due to the absence of KBA President, Mehmood-ul-Hasan. On the first day of hunger strike, two of the main office-bearers — KBA’s Secretary General, Naeem Qureshi, and its President — were supposed to sit on the two-hour token hunger strike. Now, the hunger strike schedule will be revived after Ashura, Naeem Qureshi said.